Boss & Co, 73 St James’s Street, London
12 bore Bar Action, Sidelock
Ejector
No 4217, No 1 of a Pair
Date of manufacture: 1892
Click on these images for more detail.
Heritage
Guns' Comment
This superb gun was made shortly after John Robertson bought Boss
& Company and developed it into probably the most exclusive London
gunmaker of its time. With its bar action locks, elegant
sidelever and superb Sumner engraving, this gun represents the
departure from Robertson’s predecessor, EF Paddison, very
traditional preference for back actions and rotary underlevers. On
taking over Boss & Co, Robertson changed the style of the guns to
appeal to more modern tastes and this gun reflects many of the
changes he introduced.
We have had the gun reproofed
for 2 ¾” ammunition and following a sensitive restoration, we are
pleased to be able to offer a beautifully balanced gun for game or
clays. Presented in a contemporary Oak & Leather case with
reproduction Maker’s label and some accessories.
WE REGRET THAT
THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN,
PLEASE CONTACT US.
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The action
is of normal baraction design and features:
Double triggers bolted
by an automatic top tang safety slide;
9 pin bar action locks;
Robertson style interceptor sears;
Side lever operating a 'Purdey
Bolt';
Robertson's patent ejector and Anson forend catch.
There
is a barely visible antique repair to the sidelever
and a small chip
to the forend iron at the knuckle.
Gun weight
6lb 15oz
Engraving style
Very Best Bouquet & Scroll engraving; Beaded fences;
Top rib and top
of action with gold inlaid ‘1’, forend iron engraved ‘1’.
Gold
inlaid ‘SAFE’. Action bar engraved ‘BOSS’S PATENT EJECTOR’.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3lb Rear trigger
4lbs.
The sleeved damascus to steel barrels are 28" in length,
chambered for 2 3/4" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail'
construction with soft soldered ribs.
There are a few small marks
showing in the re-blacked finish at the sleeving joint .
Top rib is of the
smooth, concave game type.
Birmingham reproof for 70mm nitro
powder cartridges in 2018.
Approximate barrel measurements
at date of publication:
|
Nominal Proof Size
|
Bore Diameter 9"
from Breech
|
Minimum Wall Thickness
|
Choke Constriction
|
RH Barrel
|
18.5mm (0.728")
|
0.729"
|
0.030"
|
0.010” (IC)
|
LH Barrel
|
18.5mm (0.728")
|
0.731"
|
0.026"
|
0.020" (Mod)
|
Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend
is crafted from highly figured walnut, thought to be original. The
stock is lightly cast-off for a right-handed shot, features a vacant
yellow metal oval and well defined drop points and is finished with a
¾” leather covered recoil pad. The forend wood has a barely visible
inlet repair to its edge and features a finely engraved steel tip and
diamond.
The approx 22 lines per inch chequering
has been refreshed to its original sidelock pattern.
The stock is finished with a traditional linseed oil based
preparation as used on best guns by one of the top English makers.
This finish uses no grain fillers to achieve its deep, smooth lustre,
only many hours of alternate build and flatting off of the surface.
Approximate stock
measurements at date of publication:
Pull to Heel
|
Pull to Bump
|
Pull to Centre
|
Pull to Toe
|
14
7/8"
|
15"
|
15
1/16"
|
15
1/2"
|
Drop at Comb
|
Drop at Face
|
Drop at Heel
|
1
1/2"
|
1
5/8"
|
2"
|
Cast-off at Comb
|
Cast-off at Heel
|
1/16" (approximate)
|
1/8" (approximate)
|
For the purposes of these measurements,
'Drop at Face' is the 'drop' measurement taken on a line perpendicular
to the
line joining the trigger and centre of the butt at approximately 8"
from the trigger (front trigger on a double trigger gun).
Patents Exhibited include:
Holland
& Robertson's ejector patent no. 16691 of 1888;
'Purdey Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863;
Anson's forend fastener patent no. 3791
of 1872.